alainneke Posted October 16, 2013 Posted October 16, 2013 (edited) Hi all, ever since the original 12V motor of my 7760 burnt out, I've been looking for a suitable replacement motor. I could have fitted a PF train motor, but my wishlist made it a bit more complicated: - power pickup from the 9V tracks, as all my trains run on DCC - 3 axles - moving siderods - minimal modifications to the original locomotive I decided to fit BigBenBricks medium wheels with custom-made aluminium 'tires', and use Zephyr's custom rods for the finishing touch (I haven't had time to apply the stickers yet, but they do look great JopieK!). The part holding the wheels is essentially plug-and-play: it has the exact same shape as the old 12V motor bogie 7760 with BBB medium wheels by alainneke, on Flickr The locomotive is powered by an old-style 9V engine (http://www.bricklink....asp?P=43362c01), which was the only motor I could squeeze in without rebuilding the whole thing: 7760 with BBB medium wheels by alainneke, on Flickr 7760 with BBB medium wheels by alainneke, on Flickr (the missing brick on the back allowed for an external power source, which is no longer needed: I've fixed it since taking the pictures) Power pickups by alainneke, on Flickr Here you can see one of the pickups. The locomotive is equipped with 4, so it can cope with the dead spots on a switch: Power pickups by alainneke, on Flickr ... and to show you that it really runs: EDIT: now with stickers applied: Finished! by alainneke, on Flickr Thanks for watching! Edited October 16, 2013 by alainneke Quote
Selander Posted October 16, 2013 Posted October 16, 2013 Great engineering, Alaineke. It looks like running really smooth on the video - and you have a nice layout as well. Quote
JopieK Posted October 16, 2013 Posted October 16, 2013 Hi alainneke, nice job! Glad you like the stickers! Medium BBB wheels look very nice on the 7760 shunters, better than the originals I think! I like your power pickups as well... you know you can now easily use DCC as well don't you?! (see OpenDCC for example, they have cheap ways for digital control) Quote
LegoSjaak Posted October 17, 2013 Posted October 17, 2013 Wow...great.. in my youth, i had this train also... it still gives me a safe and cosey feeling when i see it..especially the last picture... Somehow i get a warm family feeling when i see the 12V trains... Apparently i had a nice and warm youth!! The wheels look great.. the metal gives the 7760 an extra powerfull look!! Quote
BricksMcgee Posted October 17, 2013 Posted October 17, 2013 Nice loco, and the wheels look good to me. Love your layout too: about the same size I'll have available soon, and you've managed to get a lot in to it. Really should dig my monorail out... Quote
Rob Klingberg Posted October 17, 2013 Posted October 17, 2013 Well done! Tell me more about the custom metal wheels? I know you used BB medium wheels underneath, but do you have any more information to share about how you made the metal wheels? Of course now it needs lights and sound if you're going the DCC route! I have some lights that would fit inside those headlight bricks if you want to PM me. Now I'm thinking I need to pull out my old 7760 and modernize it as well! Again, great job. Quote
Spitfire2865 Posted October 17, 2013 Posted October 17, 2013 (edited) Its amazing how you fitted metal tires to the wheels. A great solution for small shunters or tank engines. Could you maybe blacken the tires to stand out less? Did you just use unmodded BBB flangeless wheels? Or is there any work done to them? The overall compactness is beautifully done. Edited October 17, 2013 by Spitfire2865 Quote
alainneke Posted October 17, 2013 Author Posted October 17, 2013 (edited) Thanks for the kind words, everyone! Could you maybe blacken the tires to stand out less? Did you just use unmodded BBB flangeless wheels? Or is there any work done to them? I tried blackening steel wheels some time ago, but it was messy and didn't look very good. Also, I don't know of any chemical that blackens aluminium without altering its electric conductivity. The BBB wheels are unmodified, straight from the parcel they came in! Well done! Tell me more about the custom metal wheels? I know you used BB medium wheels underneath, but do you have any more information to share about how you made the metal wheels? Of course now it needs lights and sound if you're going the DCC route! I have some lights that would fit inside those headlight bricks if you want to PM me. The tires are made on a small lathe, from a 35mm rod of aluminium. Basically, I drilled a large hole through a piece of rod, used a boring bar to make that hole the same size as the BBB wheel and machined a small flange on the outside. After chamfering the edges and rounding the flanges with a file, I pushed in the BBB wheels (they're held in place using plain friction). It took me the better part of the afternoon to make the six tires, but it could be done significantly faster with some more practice Actually, the locomotive is fitted with 2 12V light bricks, but I forgot to turn them on when taking the picture. Good idea on the sound though; I've just ordered a sound decoder that's the same size as my current (soundless) decoder! I like your power pickups as well... you know you can now easily use DCC as well don't you?! (see OpenDCC for example, they have cheap ways for digital control) The pickups are of-the-shelf components from ESU, with a little hot glue to hold them firmly in place. Edited October 18, 2013 by alainneke Quote
LEGO Train 12 Volts Posted October 17, 2013 Posted October 17, 2013 What a great work! The medium wheel are amazing and the metallic pick-up system absolutely brilliant! :wub: The piston rod is the icing on the cake! :wub_drool: You deserve the front page! Just forgot... has the shunter enought grip with those smooth wheels to run on the layout with some wagons? Quote
alainneke Posted October 18, 2013 Author Posted October 18, 2013 What a great work! The medium wheel are amazing and the metallic pick-up system absolutely brilliant! :wub: The piston rod is the icing on the cake! :wub_drool: You deserve the front page! Just forgot... has the shunter enought grip with those smooth wheels to run on the layout with some wagons? Thank you, thank you! The wheels have surprisingly good grip on the tracks: when running full speed and reversing, the wheels spin for about 1/2 when braking and accelerating again. I will try to add some wagons this weekend, but I first have to go to LEGOworld in Utrecht! Quote
JopieK Posted October 18, 2013 Posted October 18, 2013 I won't be there this year, but will be in Antwerp next month ;) hope you bring your 7760 there too then! Enjoy Utrecht! Quote
LEGO Train 12 Volts Posted October 18, 2013 Posted October 18, 2013 I'm sorry to booring you again but do you think you'll ever post a topic with a tutorial to make the aluminium wheels? Quote
Heppeng Posted October 19, 2013 Posted October 19, 2013 (edited) Great job! With the larger diameter wheels do you have to lower the couplings to account for the increased height, or have you modified the chassis to maintain the original overall height? Edited October 19, 2013 by Heppeng Quote
zephyr1934 Posted October 19, 2013 Posted October 19, 2013 Wow, what a fantastic update. So much custom work and specialized parts, yet it is so true to the original you don't even notice at first glance. Top notch! Oh, and a very fine layout too! Quote
alainneke Posted October 19, 2013 Author Posted October 19, 2013 Wow, what a fantastic update. So much custom work and specialized parts, yet it is so true to the original you don't even notice at first glance. Top notch! Oh, and a very fine layout too! Thanks! Great job! With the larger diameter wheels do you have to lower the couplings to account for the increased height, or have you modified the chassis to maintain the original overall height? Good point! The couplings were still at their original height on the pictures, but I had to lower them by 1 plate to match the height of my rolling stock I'm sorry to booring you again but do you think you'll ever post a topic with a tutorial to make the aluminium wheels? Hehe, no problem (I've noticed that my 7866 is working very well, so someone is doing a good job!). I plan on turning some additional tires in the next week, so with a little help from my camera I should be able to make a nice tutorial. Oh, and by the way, the loco is able to pull about 3 double-bogie carriages from set 7740 (these carriages are equipped with the old high-friction wheels) Quote
LEGO Train 12 Volts Posted October 19, 2013 Posted October 19, 2013 Hehe, no problem (I've noticed that my 7866 is working very well, so someone is doing a good job!). I plan on turning some additional tires in the next week, so with a little help from my camera I should be able to make a nice tutorial. Oh, and by the way, the loco is able to pull about 3 double-bogie carriages from set 7740 (these carriages are equipped with the old high-friction wheels) These are great news! :excited: Quote
Trevor_F Posted October 20, 2013 Posted October 20, 2013 I love this layout! The green material you are using for the table top, what exactly is that? It replicates grass very well. Quote
alainneke Posted October 21, 2013 Author Posted October 21, 2013 I love this layout! The green material you are using for the table top, what exactly is that? It replicates grass very well. Thanks! The green stuff is (very short) artificial grass; you can buy it at most garden centers. Quote
Trevor_F Posted October 21, 2013 Posted October 21, 2013 Thanks! The green stuff is (very short) artificial grass; you can buy it at most garden centers. Very cool, thanks for the tip! Quote
Jim Posted November 13, 2015 Posted November 13, 2015 Fantastic work very smooth. Please don't bump a two year old topic, just to compliment someone. Only bump when you have something useful to add. Quote
Legocitycustoms Posted November 16, 2015 Posted November 16, 2015 Please don't bump a two year old topic, just to compliment someone. Only bump when you have something useful to add. I didn't mind (unless a poster is spamming), don't think I would have seen this if it didn't got bumped. Quote
marook Posted November 16, 2015 Posted November 16, 2015 I didn't mind (unless a poster is spamming), don't think I would have seen this if it didn't got bumped. Agree - useful bump! Besides, what is a Technic-moderator doing in the Train Forum? ;-) Quote
Legocitycustoms Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 Agree - useful bump! Besides, what is a Technic-moderator doing in the Train Forum? ;-) Agree, wait, did I just bumped this up again ? Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.